To all friends of Tradition,

We are living in a time when the world is moving and changing at such a speed that we are being drawn into a race for survival that leaves us exposed to the gradual loss of our uniquness and distinct individual identities .

In the name of progress and modernization, we are translating globalisation into a misguided mass society that, among other things, is turning us into indiscriminate consumers of cheap cultural products that isolate us from our roots and our cultural heritage.

In response to these phenomena of our times, we have chosen the folk tradition as one of the founding pillars of the Club UNESCO of the Department of Piraeus and Islands, in the conviction that the preservation and dissemination of our traditional heritage are important weapons in the effort to defend the distinct natures and identities that are the reference points for our lives.

So, as a focal point of our activities, we have set up an important cultural institution, the "Journey into Greek Tradition", a major celebration of our folk tradition which is already in its third successful year and in which dancers and musicians from all over Greek present their music, their dances and regional costumes.

So it is with great joy that we discovered, in the pages of the magazine "Elatos", a refreshing cultural oasis, a dynamic and promising nucleus of resistance to what is the mood of the times, an open channel of communication between people who love, honor and respect the greatness of the Greek Tradition.

Its varied and interesting articles, its quality features on prominent personalities in our popular tradition, on our people's wonderful customs, festivals and other celebrations, as well as its incomparable collection of CDs and DVDs that accompany every issue, "Elatos" is a powerful bastion in the defense of our centuries-old traditions, as well as a unique "classroom" for our youth.

So as we take the magazine "Elatos" under our aegis, we feel particularly pleased and fortunate to have crossed paths with the inspired people who have poured all their enthusiasm and love for Greek Tradition into that excellent publication.

We undertake the commitment, as the Club UNESCO of the Department of Pireaus and Islands, to work with even greater zeal, and to devote ourselves even further to our folk culture in the hope that this new collaboration with "Elatos" will be fruitful and provide a forum for all the voices speaking up in the defense of the ageless Greek Traditon..

Yours faithfully,

The President of the Club UNESCO,

Department of Piraeus and the Islands

IOANNIS MARONITIS